iTunes Match / Apple Lossless Simpleton Question

[psurquhart]

OK go easy on me here please, probably a silly question ?

I am interested in iTunes match for the simplicity of not having to have iTunes / PC on all the time.

I am not overly in the know about bitrate rips.

Most of my cd collection was ripped using what I think is the highest rip quality - Apple Lossless.

Will iTunes match then lower the bit rate of these rips ? Or does it leave them at the highest quality ?

I am confused - please shed some light.

 

[professorhat]

The ones in the cloud and thus available to you from your iOS device will be 256 kbps AAC files, but your original iTunes library will remain in Apple Lossless.

 

[Ian986]

I got this a couple of weeks ago is good if you have any music under 256kbs then it will upgrade them to 256 you do this by uploading all your music to the cloud it does take a long time but when you are done just delete the original file then click on the cloud button and hey presto you have 256 version. I made a smart play list of all the songs under 256 and did it that way so I still have the higher bit rate stuff too.